THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 155 



soluble salts that an analysis was made by the method used for determining 

 " alkali " in the soils of the United States. This method consists essentially in 

 a gravimetric analysis of the constituents contained in an aqueous extract 

 prepared by digesting the soil in ten times its weight of water. 



Coral Sand. 



The Coral Sand, or " white land," as it is popularly called, consists of sand 

 of a whitish or grayish color. It is formed from the debris of the coral reefs 

 and shells, ground to a sand of varying fineness by wave action, and after- 

 wards carried inland from the beach by the winds. In general, the type is a 

 loose, incoherent sand, but inland it becomes more loam}^, approaching the 

 texture of the black, loamy soils, into which it grades almost imperceptibly. 

 The sandier phase contains very little organic matter, and allows water to pass 

 through it very readily. It supports only a scant vegetation, consisting mostly 

 of the sea-grape and other sand-loving plants. The more loamy phase ap- 

 proaches that of the older lands, and upon it grow grasses, forming good sod, 

 particularly the Bermuda grass and a species of sand grass that thrives on 

 the Islands. 



The physiographic features consist of narrow coastal plains, or " double 

 beaches," along much of the windward coast of the Islands, while back of these 

 narrow strips is a range or series of ranges of sand dunes. These dunes vary 

 in height from a few feet to 100 feet or more. The formation sometimes 

 consists of a low ridge or bar between the sea and the brackish swamps along 

 the coast. The largest development of this soil is on the north shore of Cat 

 Island. It occurs also on all the other islands of the group. Where not too 

 wet and salty it produces good crops of Indian corn, Guinea corn (the latter 

 doing exceptionally well), Irish and sweet potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes and 

 other products. Particularly are those situations good where the sand is 

 somewhat more compact, or more clayey in lower depths, forming a more re- 

 tentive subsoil. The cocoanut palm flourishes on this soil, provided it be 

 fertilized and the trees properly cared for. It is particularly important on a 

 soil of this texture to mulch the trees with leaves, grass or other refuse as far 

 as possible to conserve the moisture about the roots. At Nassau good results 

 have been obtained by using street sweepings as a fertilizer. On Cat Island 

 are areas of this type covered by grasses which have formed a firm sod, afford- 

 ing good pasturage to live stock, which seemed to be doing well. The more 

 extended use of the soil-binding grasses would greatly improve the agricul- 

 tural conditions on this type. 



